Geranium plant named ‘Tosforice’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Tosforice’, characterized by its double type, red and white bicolored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, moderate growth vigor, and compact, mounded-spreading growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Pelargonium peltatum.

Variety denomination: ‘Tosforice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of IvyGeranium plant botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Tosforice’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inWeener-Halte, Germany during August 2007. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Ivy Geranium cultivars that floweruniformly and have dark green-colored foliage, and a compact,mounded-spreading growth habit.

The new Ivy Geranium cultivar ‘Tosforice’ was produced by grafting thePelargonium peltatum plant ‘Mexikanerin’, not patented, which contains aunique viroid that causes dichroism, with the proprietary Pelargoniumpeltatum breeding selection coded N 540, not patented. ‘Mexikanerin’ wasthe rootstock and breeding selection N 540 was the scion. Breedingselection N 540 is characterized by its double-type, bright red flowers,dark green-colored foliage having very dark zonation, moderate growthvigor, and mounded-spreading growth habit. After the grafting method,terminal cuttings were taken and propagated. The viroid of ‘Mexikanerin’passed to the grafting and yielded a new phenotype of red and whitebicolor flowers. There was variation among the plants and selectionswere made based on flower color. A single plant selection wassubsequently chosen for further evaluation and for asexual propagationvia vegetative cuttings. While the mechanism of the viroid is not known,the new trait of dichroism is stable and heritable in that it is passedon to future generations through asexual propagation without therootstock.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceSpring 2008 in Weener-Halte, Germany and Arroyo Grande, Calif. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all ofthe characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Tosforice’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, red and white bicolored flowers;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage;    -   3. Moderate growth vigor; and    -   4. Compact, mounded-spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the rootstock‘Mexikanerin’ primarily in flower color and foliage color. Plants of thenew cultivar differ from plants of the scion N 540 parent primarily inflower color.

Of the many commercially available Ivy Geranium cultivars, the mostsimilar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Meriblue’, U.S. Plant Pat.No. 10,266. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of ‘Meriblue’ in at least the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from        plants of ‘Meriblue’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger leaves than plants of        ‘Meriblue’.

In addition, the new cultivar is similar in comparison to PrecisionBurgundy Ice ‘Balcolbure’, not patented. However, in comparison, plantsof the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balcolbure’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a more compact habit than        plants of ‘Balcolbure’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a slightly different flower        color than plants of ‘Balcolbure’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Tosforice’. Theplants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse in WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Tosforice’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual umbel of‘Tosforice’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in May 2013 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5-inch pots for 9 weeksutilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures weremaintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) duringthe day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during thenight. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandleswere maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Tosforice.-   Parentage: ‘Tosforice’ was produced by grafting the Pelargonium    peltatum plant ‘Mexikanerin’, not patented, with the proprietary    Pelargonium peltatum breeding selection coded N 540, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 11 to 15 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 28 to 35            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            mounded, compact-spreading.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 24.5 cm. Width: Approximately 44.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching, pinching will            increase basal branching. Quantity of main branches per            plant: Approximately 2.        -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 26.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 3.8 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with            appressed hairs. Color of young stem: 144A. Color of mature            stem: 146B with an overlay of 187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:            Approximately 12. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem, blade            is perpendicular to stem. Shape: Reniform. Margin: Entire,            palmately lobed. Apex: Rounded to broadly acute. Base:            Cordate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 6.9 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            7.6 cm. Texture of upper surface: Rugous, densely pubescent.            Texture of lower surface: Rugous, moderately pubescent.            Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with faint            zonation of N186A and venation of 146B. Color of lower            surface of young foliage: 137B with venation of 146B. Color            of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to but darker            than N137A with very faint zonation of N186A and venation of            146B. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: N137D with            venation of 146B.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.8 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with            appressed hairs. Color: 146B, occasionally with an overlay            of 187A.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Tosforice’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            10 to 13 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Hemispherical umbel. Positioned            above foliage. Quantity of fully open umbels per plant:            Approximately 3. Quantity of developing umbels per plant:            Approximately: 2. Fragrance: None. Length or height:            Approximately 5.1 cm. Width: Approximately 7.7 cm. Quantity            of fully open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 10.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 11.7 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Texture: Densely pubescent with appressed hairs. Color:            146B, occasionally with a faint overlay of 187A.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Double.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Elliptic. Length:            Approximately 1.4 cm. Width: Approximately 7.0 mm. Sepal            texture: Densely pubescent. Petal texture: Glabrous. Petal            color: 46A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Round. Diameter: Approximately 4.1 cm.            Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Approximately 9 to 10 petals and 1 to 2            irregularly-shaped petaloids per flower. Shape: Obovate.            Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Attenuate. Length of upper petals: Approximately 2.8 cm.            Width of upper petals: Approximately 1.6 cm. Length of lower            petals: Approximately 2.2 cm. Width of lower petals:            Approximately 1.0 to 1.7 cm. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of upper petals            when fully open: Margins of 46A, centers of NN155D with a            heavy overlay of 46A, center of base 61A. Color of lower            surface of upper petals when fully open: NN155D with stripes            and margins of 46D and venation of 61 A. Color of upper            surface of lower petals when fully open: Margins of 46A,            centers of NN155D with a heavy overlay of 46A. Color of            lower surface of lower petals when fully open: NN155D with            stripes and margins of 46D.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Star. Diameter: Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Approximately 5, fused at base.            Shape: Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acuminate. Length            of upper sepal: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width of upper sepal:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of lower sepals: Approximately            1.3 cm. Width of lower sepals: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture            of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:            Densely pubescent. Color of upper surface: 137C. Color of            lower surface: 137B occasionally with an overlay of 187B            especially heavy on upper sepal.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to peduncle.            Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of            glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: Colorless,            transparent. Color: 146B with an overlay of 187B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of mature stamens:            Approximately 3 to 5 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: N92C.            Filament length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Filament color:            NN155D with an overlay of N66D. Pollen amount: Sparse.            Pollen color: 30C. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower.            Pistil length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stigma shape:            5-branched. Stigma length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Stigma            color: 59A. Style length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Style color:            145D. Ovary length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary texture:            Densely pubescent. Ovary color: 143B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Ivy Geranium has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. New and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plantnamed ‘Tosforice’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.